A Liberal Arts Education

Yale is committed to the idea of a liberal arts education through which students think and learn across disciplines, liberating or freeing the mind to its fullest potential. The essence of such an education is not what you study, but the result: gaining the ability to think critically and independently and to write, reason, and communicate clearly – the foundation for all professions. 

Yale graduates in all majors are prepared to serve in positions of leadership in every imaginable field. Use the Yale College Outcomes Interactive Tool, hosted by the Office of Career Strategy to explore the diversity of experiences recent graduates have pursued.  

There are no specific classes you must take at Yale, but you are required to learn broadly and deeply. Depth is covered in your major. Breadth is covered in three study areas (the humanities and arts, the sciences, and the social sciences) and three skill areas (writing, quantitative reasoning, and foreign language). A Yale education instills in students the values, goals, skills, and knowledge they need to pursue inspiring work, to take joy in lifelong learning, and to lead successful and meaningful lives.